Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 254 – tonight we’ll talk about and S&W 642, Seekins Precision Stock, 450 Bushmaster, Second Call Defense, Manticore Arms, DEZ Tactical Arms, the Sonoran Desert Institute, Faxon Firearms, the Patriot Patch Company, Brownells more! Our cast for episode 254 is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Jeremy Pozderac, Nick Lynch!
U.S. Optics B-10: Initial Impressions of DMR Excellence
Since acquiring the dream rifle, the FN SCAR 17, the process of ‘kitting’ it has been a more arduous one than originally perceived.
Actually just one aspect of kitting it. The optic. My SCAR saw a full spectrum of optical options in a variety of price points starting with a Burris 536 and going through variables, red dots, holographics, and an ACOG.
The TA31 was a fantastic solution but it had two drawbacks that limited the ease with which I could take advantage of the SCAR’s capabilities. It was fixed at 4x power and it had a 5.56 ballistic reticle. I could, and did, work around those since the optic more than made up for those deficiencies but I knew there was a better option for the capabilities of a supremely well built 7.62 rifle.
When I added a SCAR 16 to the lineup the theorizing on an optic for the 17 stopped and an urgent need emerged.
I migrated the TA31 to the SCAR 16 where all its advantages still apply and its two limitations are eliminated by matching the calibrated chambering, barrel length, and rifling twist rate.
This left the 17 barren. But it opened the opportunity to invest in finding a truly superior precision rifle scope that could operate in the roll of designated marksman.
The optic I had the most experience with performing in the roll was Leupold’s Mk 4. 2.5-8 MR/T. I used them on Mk. 12’s
These 3x (3x variable range, not 3x magnification) optics allowed the accurized M16A1 conversions to perform a little further out than the M16A2 and A4 counterparts.
These Mk 4’s have been made nearly obsolete (and discontinued) since that time. The optical enlightenment age we are currently experiencing with 6x, 7x, and 8x variable ranges, greater durability, glass clarity, and the acceptance of front focal plane have all contributed to this explosive evolution.
My primary hangup with most of the otherwise excellent options on optics for a DMR is the role of the designated marksman.
A DM is a more dynamic role than a sniper with much more emphasis on reactive precision engagement (which snipers can do too, don’t let me discount that) than on an observation asset and precision ranged weapon for a unit commander. The DM’s role really starts after getting shot at, where the sniper team is doing a ton of work and other tasks before, during, or regardless of taking contact.
Why does that matter to the optic?
Simple.
I don’t want to have to touch my optic while rounds are flying in my direction, even if I need to adjust for a hold. This is one of the reasons I hold the ACOG is such high esteem. It’s a set and forget optic, zero it and it is set.
A sniper’s optic can, and should, have more variability to accomplish a wider range of mission requirements where the DM’s optic is to more precisely and effectively return fire on contact, initiate contact, or a quicker more detailed observation. The DM’s optic, in my opinion, needs to keep features closer to the ACOG than the precision sniper optic.
While capabilities of the tools overlap the jobs are distinct. I needed an optic that fit this lane.
The B-10
U.S. Optics has been a quiet professional in the field of optics for the better part of 3 decades. They hand built custom tailored optics to customers preferences with a multitude of features. It was a premium optics buffet.
Recently however USO did a bit of market research and found that customers honed in on a few key feature sets over and over again. With this research in hand they set about designing the Bravo Series. This second generation of USO scopes takes the multitude of overlapping options and puts them into 3 categories, medium range precision, long range precision, and extreme range precision, the 3 categories their customers kept honing in on.
Looking at the B-10 specifically and contrasting it against the Leupold (which was a serious consideration, and if available certainly more economical) the USO has several key features in its favor.
- Magnification range
The B-10 has a magnification range of 1.8-10 using a far more versatile 5.3:1 (approximately) magnification prism than the 3:1 the MRT has. The lower 1.8 gives the B-10 a wider observation capability and quicker reflex capability than the 2.5 MRT and the top power at 10 versus 8 gives a more precision capable performance at distance.
- Front Focal Plane
Focal plane has to do with the scope’s construction, where the reticle and magnification assemblies are and how they interact. A second focal plane scope has the assemblies arranged so that the reticle appears the same size to the shooter’s eye regardless of the zoom setting. A front focal plane scope has the reticle positioned so that its size stays consistent with the target along the whole magnification range.
What the means is on a second focal plane scope any marking lines, regardless of it being a bullet drop compensation, milliradian (Mils), or minute of angle (MOA) are only accurate at one magnification level. Usually maximum magnification.
With a front focal plane like the B-10 the reticle is always true to scale. 1 Mil or 1 MOA is always accurately represented and any adjustments you need to make off or observations do not require a conversion factor based on magnification.
- Light Collection
The 42mm objective lens on the B-10 allows for better collection and transmission, especially in lower light, than the 36mm.
- H425 Horus Vision Reticle
This is what gives the B-10 its final edge, although it is an add on option and more money. The H425 (seen above) is this squat little Christmas tree looking cross hair assembly is visualized mathematics. If the shooter knows the performance of their ammo, the ballistics, out of their particular rifle a quick run through a decent ballistics program will give you hold over and wind drift that can be copied into any form of small cheat sheet. It’s a bullet drop compensator on steroids tailorable for whatever round you happen to be shooting.
I was using M80 ball ammo so I took the stock data for that at a 50 yard zero and ran the numbers on my ballistics app. With that zero I could make hits out to 800 yards theoretically. I confirmed this trajectory out to 300 yards by ringing a 6″ steel plate before running out of distance on the range, but the theory held as I didn’t need to adjust the optic. I was impressed. The holds were effortless to read and do once I knew what I was looking at, and I didn’t have to adjust a single click from zero.
Testing at closer distances resulted in positive results as well.
Dialing down the B-10 has a very forgiving eye box and getting on the gun and the scope was accomplished rapidly. At 1.8x the individual striations aren’t as discernible to my eyes but also at 1.8 I don’t want them to be. Instead I used the squat triangle just like the ACOG chevron to quickly settle the reticle and sent a round toward the target. The B-10 is useable low power with both eyes open in a manner similar to the Bindon Aiming Concept (BAC) from Trijicon.
I am, so far, very pleased.
The evaluation isn’t complete. However the U.S. Optics B-10 is showing it is here to stay, hitting every major bracket I wanted for the rifle optic on the SCAR 17. And of all the rifles to test the endurance of an optic, there’s none better.
Am I concerned for the USO B-10?
No, at this point the B-10 would be top of my immediate DM Optic recommendations, especially for those looking beyond the traditional LPVO 1-6x and 1-8x brackets. I’m still putting rounds under it though so a full review to follow.
Modern School Supplies: Ballistic Shields and Tourniquets
It was April 8, 2015, when I was awakened in the night by my 5 year old. She had a bad dream and came into my room, and as she walked around the foot of our bed she lost her balance and fell hard against the wall. I sprang from the bed to comfort her while my husband raced for the light switch. I could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong. Terrifyingly wrong. I called 911.
My voice and body were trembling as I asked EMS to come. I hung up the phone and could already hear distant sirens from the fire station 0.7 miles away. In 7-8 minutes my bedroom was full of first responders. My daughter’s vitals were normal so they left. We learned the next day through an already-scheduled MRI that her brain was herniating due to a massive brain tumor and she would endure many surgeries and chemotherapy sessions in the years to come. At the time, however, I was helpless and terrified.
I share this story because it is important to me that you know that I want my children safe and healthy. It is also important that you know that I am a mom of a cancer kid (who subsequently went blind), so prayer and preparedness are vital in my life. Our family has an emergency plan and I have had many conversations with my children about safety. We have also been forced to have hard age-appropriate conversations with our children about cancer, disability, fear, and death.
I have come very close to losing my daughter. I have friends who have buried their children and I cannot bear the thought of being without my daughter or my sons. If it means having hard conversations, purchasing safety equipment, and attending training classes, then I am “all in” to give my kids the tools they need to stay safe and healthy.
One of those hard conversations circles around recent school shootings. It is heart breaking to talk to kids about such heinous crimes, just as I hate talking to my kids about creepy grownups who may be in public restrooms or traffickers that may kidnap them from department stores. In those scenarios I am nearby and will fight to protect them; at school they are away from me, which makes it 1,000 times scarier. It is infuriating that our schools are a target of mass murderers, but that is outside the scope of this article.
It can be very difficult to talk to children about a potential school shooting without scaring them. Psychologist Lisa Damour suggests that kids age 6 and under should be shielded from violent or extremely upsetting news coverage because they are too young to understand it. For kids ages 7 to 11, Damour recommends asking children if they have heard about an incident and if they have questions. For kids age 12 and over, she says it is important to keep the conversation going. Making them aware of basic safety concepts and first-aid skills will go a long way to keeping them safe.
With my children, we have talked about their school lock-down drills. We have had age-appropriate discussions about RUN – HIDE – FIGHT and AVOID – DENY – DEFEND, the pros and cons, and their options as students. They have ballistic plates in their backpacks, so they can use their backpacks as shields to protect their vital organs in the event of an active shooter. I have talked with my blind daughter about potential safety spots for her, and made sure that she knows how to get to them on her own in case her sighted guides flee in chaos. I have encouraged local teachers and administrators to take school safety/active shooter training courses. We have tackled the subject head-on, but there is more to learn.
My middle son is starting middle school in a few months and we decided that it was time for him to attend a formal training class. He and I recently attended a ‘Stop the Bleed’ basic class. He learned that an injured person will bleed to death in 2-6 minutes. Let me repeat that — if your child is injured on a playground, car accident, or shooting, you may lose him or her forever in 2-6 minutes.
It took only 8 minutes for EMS to get to my house from 0.7 miles away, and that would have been too late if there was life-threatening bleeding. In the case of a mass murderer, EMTs would not be able to aid victims until after police clear the scene, so even if help arrives on the scene immediately they would not get to my children in time. Death from blood loss is preventable with the right equipment and training; my children may be able to stop the bleeding until EMTs can get them to a hospital. This realization positively reinforced my decision to enroll my son in the class, and he happily accepted this basic information.
The class material was from BleedingControl.org, an initiative of the American College of Surgeons and the Hartford Consensus. The program was created using a variety of private and nonprofit partners to help prepare an individual to render aid in an act of terrorism, violence, or accident with life-threatening bleeding. The class was presented by an experienced combat medic and a trauma nurse, with support from other EMS professionals. There was a straight-forward PowerPoint presentation with handouts, followed by time for hands-on instruction of tourniquets and wound packing.
My son enjoyed the class. He said, “It was cool to learn things you could do to potentially save someone’s life one day.” He appreciated the tourniquet training to practice applying it to himself and me. He understood the different reasons to deploy a tourniquet or hemostatic gauze, and most importantly, he grasped the urgency needed. We aimed to apply it in under 12 seconds (per Caleb Causey of Lone Star Medics, one of our National Conference instructors) and my son accepted the challenge. He feels more knowledgeable of how to respond if he encounters a medical emergency. He is comfortable carrying a trauma kit in his backpack in middle school.
This is parenting in the modern age: educating our children about a variety of threats and giving them tools and skills to stay safe. Whether it is pool safety, cooking safety, stranger danger, or active shooter, parents must provide age-appropriate information. We prepare our children for different scenarios and give them tools to succeed. They know STOP – DROP – ROLL, and have fire drills and tornado drills to educate them on how to stay safe in those situations. Schools have an automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in case of heart trauma and many are now stocking trauma kits to stop life-threatening bleeding.
I pray that our kids are safe and that the skills learned are never put into action. As a precaution, however, I will provide my children reinforced backpacks and personal trauma kits. If a $69 item buys my son precious time and equips him to come home to me at the end of the day, then a trauma kit will be among his school supplies.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/modern-school-supplies-ballistic-shields-and-tourniquets/
MICHELLE PICKETT ENCOURAGES WOMEN TO BE ADVENTUROUS
Michelle Pickett’s entry into the world of firearms began like so many women we know. She was scared to death of guns. She had children and believed the old societal myth that guns are bad, no one should have guns in the house, especially if they have children.
Now facilitator of the Gainesville, Florida chapter of A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League (AG & AG), Pickett explains her transformation.
When she met her husband, he and his brother owned a local gun shop (Pickett Weaponry), and he wanted her to learn about guns as well. “I was scared to death but he was gracious and kind,” she reminisces. That was over 20 years ago.
Then about 15 years ago, Pickett was sitting in on a class her husband was teaching, and when she looked at the faces of some of the women there she realized they had questions, but didn’t want to ask them. As she moved out onto the range with them and started helping them they got more comfortable. “That’s when I realized I needed to start a ladies only class,” she says.
Pickett originally started her group, called “Girls and Guns,” through their local Wild Turkey Federation. “Outback Steakhouse donated all the food, we [the gun store] donated all the guns and equipment needed. We charged $15 to participate and then all the proceeds went to different gun groups,” she explains
The ladies then joined another women’s group but decided it wasn’t a good fit for them. Then they found out about AG & AG and moved to it. Pickett explains why. “I love that AG & AG puts their heart and soul into it. They care about every individual person. You can see it in their face and in the way they are. What you do is more important than what you say.”
Now with a chapter of about 94 women and eight A-Team (facilitator’s team of assistants) members, Pickett mainly trains women for self-defense. “I bring in great instructors every other month to talk to ladies or train with them,” Pickett explains.
Many in her chapter are already planning to go to A Girl & A Gun Conference next April in Texas. “A couple of us went to conference first to check it out and find out what it was. I don’t like to send people to something without knowing more about it. And I fell in love with it,” Pickett beams. This year nine members attended, and the group has already reserved a house for next years’ conference. She’s also excited that she and several of her members will be going to the Rangemaster Tactical Conference training in New Orleans in March of 2019,
While she doesn’t teach about competing, there are members who attend competitions, including one who attended AG & AG Fall Festival in Kentucky and will be speaking to the group about it. “We want ladies to start attending more competitions, to get outside of what we do,” she explains.
Often times when talking with women about joining AG & AG, Pickett says women will respond, “I’m not sure, I’m not good with big groups of women.” That’s understandable as so many women remember the “mean girls” from high school. “But I tell them, “It’s not what you think, it’s very different.” When we get together, everyone is on the same playing field. You’re as good as the person next to you. Even the pro shooters are sweet and gracious to everyone.”
“Just try it. Jump in with both feet and try it,” advises Pickett. “Be adventurous. It will make a world of difference in your life, emotionally and personally. It’s amazing.”
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/michelle-pickett-encourages-women-to-be-adventurous/
Self Defense 5.56/.223 For EDC Carbines: Sage Dynamics looks at Hornady Black 75gr SBR HD
While there are a wide variety of self defense handgun rounds for your common 9mm’s, .40 S&W’s, and .45 ACP’s, the market of defensive designed 5.56 rounds is a much smaller field.
Conventional 5.56/.223 commercial options like the M193 (55gr lead core), M855 62gr mild steel core, and 62gr lead core all perform to certain standards based on their designs. These designs are for longer distances.
These rounds are designed for 16-20″ barrels of the conventional 5.56 rifles and carbines.
With the increased popularity and use of AR “pistols” as defensive carbines with shorter barrels a round that performs well at defensive distances out of those shorter barrels is highly desirable.
Sage Dynamics took out Hornady’s 75gr SBR HD, a round advertised as being exceptional in shorter barrels for self defense.
It’s a longer video but there is a tremendous amount of information about the 75gr round and ammunition performance in general. Since I personally just picked these up for use in my home defense rifle I’m glad to see Sage Dynamics putting in effort to give people solid information.
WOMEN GATHERED ON CAPITOL HILL TO PROMOTE GUN RIGHTS
WASHINGTON DC – The DC Project completed its annual trip to the nation’s Capitol this past week (June 26). More than 50 women and girls in 11 teams met with members of Congress over 4 days. This marks the third year for the women to meet with their legislators to reveal their stories and safeguard their Second Amendment rights.
The DC Project is a nonpartisan initiative to bring 50 women, one from each state, to Washington to dispel common myths and garner support for gun rights. The project is the brainchild of Dianna Muller, retired law enforcement officer turned professional 3-gun competitor, who just represented the USA in the IPSC World Shotgun match, where she brought home individual silver and team gold medals. In 2016 Muller met with her legislator and wanted to encourage other women to do the same, so she asked colleagues in the shooting community to join her.
Robyn Sandoval, Executive Director of A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League, has joined Muller on all three trips to DC. “When women and students make demands against our freedoms, it is important that our legislators know that those protestors do not speak for everyone,” says Sandoval. “We have more women than ever before wanting to exercise their Second Amendment rights to protect themselves and their families. We have youth who are dedicated to their marksmanship sports. Our lawmakers need to know our stories.”
Each DC Project delegate funded her own trip in this truly grassroots initiative. Participants’ schedules included meetings with Senate and House members and staffers, networking gatherings, and a rally on the U.S. Capitol grounds, featuring legendary advocate Dick Heller, 16-year-old Beth Walker of Indiana, 15-year-old Chloe Deaton of Florida, and Virginia House Delegate Nick Freitas. The schedule also included two range days for members of Congress and staff to meet with DC Project instructors to experience the culture of the shooting community and learn more about firearms.
Learn more at AGirlandAGun.org/dc-project
About A Girl & A Gun
A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG) is a membership organization whose events have been successful stepping stones for thousands of women into the shooting community and fostered their love of shooting with caring and qualified instructors to coach them. AG & AG breaks barriers for women and girls in the area of self-defense and in pistol, rifle, and shotgun shooting sports by welcoming beginners to learn the basics of safe and accurate shooting and providing experienced shooters with advanced-level opportunities. The club has more than 5,500 members in 48 states and hosts recurring Girl’s Nights Out at more than 160 ranges throughout the nation.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/women-gathered-on-capitol-hill-to-promote-gun-rights/
The PDW Bag – 4 Options for Discrete Carry
After doing a series of articles on different PDWs I thought I’d revisit the subject on how to carry these guns. Obviously, your main goal is to be as discrete as possible and to carry quietly. There are tons of gun bags on the market, but a PDW bag must be low profile and discrete. It also needs to be capable of safely carrying a firearm. I have a few purpose-built options I’d like to share with you guys today.
Vertx Commuter
Vertx makes some extremely high-quality bags and clothes. The Commuter is one of my all-time favorite bags. First off it’s discrete with no tactical tells that I can see. It’s a sling bag that’s quite large in scale, but comfortable to carry. It has 4 pockets with tons of hook and loop potential, and internal pockets for organizational potential.
The largest pocket is perfect for storing a variety of PDW sized guns. It fits my AR pistol when it’s broken down, my Kel Tec SUB 2k when folded, as well as a KPOS with Glock and folded brace. It also has a small compartment that’s designed to accommodate an armored panel. The Vertx Commuter is an outstanding PDW bag.
Sneaky Bags Nautilus
The Nautilus by Sneaky bags is another large sling bag that can accommodate a variety of PDWs very well. This includes the KPOS style systems, broken down AR pistols, side folding rifle style pistols, and a variety of braced handguns.
The bag has three pockets, but one is hidden. The main compartment is massive and inside is a healthy dose of MOLLE straps as that are hook and loop ready. You toss in a gun, and plenty of pouches for extra ammo, or even soft body armor. The hidden pocket is perfect for an armor plate, or a handgun that needs to stay discrete. The Nautilus is a well designed PDW bag that can fulfill a variety of applications.
Blackhawk Diversion Bag
The Blackhawk Diversion bag isn’t a small bag, but it is discrete. It looks like a boring old gym bag, but inside it’s a well-constructed piece of kit. Inside it has a built-in divider that allows you to separately and easily store two guns, or guns and gear.
The Diversion bag also has two side pockets that allow you to reach into the bag discretely and retrieve gear, or even your firearm depending on the type and size. This bad features oversized zipper tags, a thick carrying strap, and a lot more. It perfect for AR pistols, the KPOS, and even PGO shotguns. The Blackhawk Diversion bag is a great little PDW bag that’s insanely discrete.
Elite Survival Systems Covert Operations Case
My newest PDW bag comes from Elite Survival Systems. The Cover Operations case is made in a variety of sizes and this particular model is their smallest and it’s designed for the covert carry of SMGs.
It fits smaller pistols with side folding braces perfectly and the simple velcro strap system holds the gun in a supported position well. The bag comes with an internal detachable three magazine pouch and a padded divider to protect the gun.
The outside has a very large pocket that can accommodate a variety of gear, including an armored panel. This PDW bag comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate everything from an MP5K sized weapon to a full-sized M-16.
These are four purpose-built PDW bags designed to discretely carry a PDW sized firearm. Their design and profile make then inconspicuous and easy to tote. As always recognize state and federal law when carrying a gun. These bags just make things a lot easier when it comes to discretely move your PDWs from car to home, to hotel, or just traveling in general. A good PDW bag is a small investment in the purchase of discrete security.
KEEPING KIDS SAFE: GUN STORAGE
Responsible citizens who own firearms understand that this decision comes with the enormous responsibility of knowing that this chunk of metal and springs can cause serious injury, if not death, to living things. Some people own firearms to harvest animals for food. Some people own firearms to defend themselves from others who intend to harm them. Some people own firearms for sport and recreation. Regardless of why people own firearms, guns absolutely MUST be safely secured from the underaged, the uniformed, and the unlawful (minors, people who do not know how to safely operate firearms, and criminals). This article is aimed at protecting our children – all our children – yet the same techniques can also be used to secure firearms from other unauthorized access.
In Texas, the law is basically stated, “It is unlawful to store, transport, or abandon an unsecured firearm in a place where children are likely to be and can obtain access to the firearm.” Children in possession of firearms have either been given one or been given access to one, knowingly or not, by an adult or have procured them illegally. No child should be allowed unsupervised access to any gun.
“Where Do Kids in School Shootings Get Their Guns?
Two-thirds of students who used guns in violent acts at school got those guns from their own home or that of a relative. (United States Secret Service and Department of Education, 2004.)
- • from a shelf in the step father’s closet –Benton, KY 2018
- • from the father’s gun safe which the shooter knew the combination – Rockford, WA 2017
- • from the father’s dresser drawer after the shooter failed to obtain a rifle from the father’s gun safe – Townville, SC 2016
- • from the grandfather-figure’s house stored unloaded in a cookie tin with a box of ammunition – Lake Worth, FL 2000
- • from a shoebox in the uncle’s bedroom – Mt. Morris Township, MI 2000
- • from the grandparent’s home hanging on display on the wall after the shooters were unable to obtain rifles from a steel safe – Jonesboro, AR 1998
- • from a neighbor’s garage – West Paducah, KY 1997″
If you have a gun in your household or if your child visits friends who have guns in their household (depending on the source, about 40% of American households have at least one gun) teach your child about gun safety. If you cannot do this yourself, ask your Facilitator or local range about youth programs. Enroll them in an Eddie Eagle GunSafe program. At an appropriate age based on your assessment of their maturity, let them handle a gun, shoot a gun, and learn about gun handling rules in a safe environment.
If you have guns in your household, lock them up when not physically on your body. With the exception of the gun you carry and the one you use for home self-defense, all guns should be unloaded with the firearm locked in one area and the ammunition locked in another.
Money and space should not be an excuse to not secure your gun. Many manufacturers supply locks with their firearms. Use them and keep the key with you, not hidden near the gun. Given enough time and space, children will find these hiding spots and have free access to your firearm. Many police stations also give away free locks through National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Project ChildSafe. Sporting goods stores have a variety of relatively inexpensive options for locking the mechanisms of your gun. You can purchase locks that protect the trigger from being squeezed. You can also purchase locks that prevent the firing pin from being able to contact the bullet.
If you still can’t afford these locks, take your gun apart to make it inoperable, place the parts in different labeled Ziploc bags to make reassembly easier, then store the parts and pieces in different places. If you do not know how to field strip your gun, you must learn. Clean guns are consistently reliable. Ask your local gunsmith for educational resources on this topic.
Safes come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and price points to lock up one gun or multiple guns. Wooden display cases with glass fronts, even if they can be locked, are not appropriate as security measures. Safes can be locked by a key, a combination, your fingerprint, or some other electronic access and are made from metal. They can be relatively easy to access for your home self-defense gun or a veritable Fort Knox. For individual guns, you can place a safe under your bed, in the night stand, bolted to the wall. Make sure that these smaller safes are somehow permanently attached to a heavy piece of furniture, wall or floor, so that they cannot be moved to another place where unauthorized people can then take their time to break into it.
Heavy floor or cabinet style safes should also be secured to a wall or floor so that they cannot be tipped onto a child who may be crawling on it. Keep the combinations confidential and do not write them down on a piece of paper that is hidden near the safe. Just like keys, kids will find this combination. I would recommend that you do write down all your combinations and provide this to a trusted third party or place it in a bank safe deposit box to retrieve in case of emergency.
You can also purchase safes (and individual gun locks should be on the market soon) that send messages to your cell phone every time the door has been opened. This will provide additional safety so that you can inform the police quicker in the case of unauthorized access.
The bottom line is:
- Regardless that you think your children would never touch one of your handguns without permission – “from the father’s dresser drawer” Townville, SC 2016;
- Regardless that you do not have any children in your household – “from the grandfather-figure’s house stored unloaded in a cookie tin” Lake Worth, FL 2000;
- Regardless that it may take slightly more time to get a locked gun in case of an emergency – “from the father’s gun safe which the shooter knew the combination” Rockford, WA 2017;
for your children, your grandchildren, your nieces and nephews, your neighbor’s kids or any other child who may gain access to your home with or without your permission, please lock your guns securely at all times and please pass this message to others.
Sandra Kozero is an NRA certified pistol and rifle instructor, along with being an NRA Level 1 Shotgun Coach. She teaches Home Firearm Safety, Personal Protection in the Home, Refuse to Be a Victim and the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program. Sandy has been shooting with the San Antonio TX Chapter of A Girl & A Gun since 2011. She also dabbles in competitive shooting. She is not only the San Antonio Chapter Facilitator, but she also serves as an AG & AG National Regional Director.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/keeping-kids-safe-gun-storage/
SIG SAUER Manufacturers 5,000 M17-Commemorative Edition U.S. Army Service Pistols for Purchase
Newington, N.H. (July 19, 2018) –SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to announce the limited release of the M17-Commemorative Edition of the U.S. Army’s M17 official service pistol, a variant of the SIG SAUER P320. The M17-Commemorative pistol shares the same components, coatings, and markings as the firearm that was awarded the U.S. Army contract for the modular handgun system (MHS).
Only 5,000 M17-Commemorative Edition pistols have been produced for sale, and each SIG SAUER M17-Commemorative pistol is serialized M17-0001 through M17-5000 and includes the Army’s required unique identifier (UID). The M17 is sold in the same cardboard packaging as delivered to the U.S. Army. From the pistol to the packaging, the M17-Commemorative Edition is identical to the U.S. Army’s official M17 service pistol.
“The U.S. Army’s selection of the M17 earned the SIG SAUER P320 a place in history. It’s regarded as one of the world’s most influential firearms as it enters service with America’s Armed Forces across the globe,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The M17 is the culmination of SIG SAUER’s steadfast commitment to providing the military with the very best, and our determination to never settle. We are excited that collectors and civilians have an opportunity to participate in this history.”
Upon registration of the M17-Commemorative pistol the purchaser will receive an official certificate of authenticity and commemorative challenge coin, both with serial numbers matching the purchased M17-Commemorative pistol.
The M17-Commemorative is a 9mm, striker-fired pistol, and comes with two 21-round magazines and one 17-round magazine. The pistol features a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide with the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, coyote-tan colored controls just like the original pistols shipped to the 101st Airborne, and a manual safety. The M17 is equipped with a SIGLITE front night sight and removable Night Sight rear plate. The M17-Commemorative comes with a coyote-tan carry-length grip module.
The M17-Commemorative Specs:
- Total length: 8”
- Barrel length: 4.7”
- Weight (incl. 17-rd magazine): 29.6 oz.
- Height: 5.5”
- Width: 1.3”
- Sight radius: 6.6”
MSRP:$1,122.00
The M17-Commemorative is shipping to stores in August 2018.
To compliment the M17-Commemorative, an exclusive M17 Collector’s Case is available for purchase separately atsigsauer.com/store. The case is a solid cherry box, with dark mahogany stain, a tempered glass top, a brushed nickel latch, and a keyhole back for optional wall-hanging. The M17 Collector’s Case features a slate-grey flocked foam insert with an affixed US Army logo, and precision laser placement cuts for the M17 pistol, the official serialized M17-Commemorative Certificate of Authenticity, and the serialized M17-Commemorative Challenge Coin.
M17 Collectors Case MSRP:$199.99 (sold separately atsigsauer.com/store)
About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is a leading provider and manufacturer of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, Advanced Sport Pellet (ASP) airguns, suppressors, and training. For over 100 years SIG SAUER, Inc. has evolved, and thrived, by blending American ingenuity, German engineering, and Swiss precision. Today, SIG SAUER is synonymous with industry-leading quality and innovation which has made it the brand of choice amongst the U.S. Military, the global defense community, law enforcement, competitive shooters, hunters, and responsible citizens. Additionally, SIG SAUER is the premier provider of elite firearms instruction and tactical training at the SIG SAUER Academy – a world class, state-of-the-art, 140-acre training facility. SIG SAUER is headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, and has more than 1,700 employees across eight locations, and is the largest member of a worldwide business group that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. For more information about the company and product line visit: sigsauer.com.
Hunting License Headaches
We’ve been hearing quite a bit lately about the looming generational “cliff”, which will bring with it a consequent drastic drop in hunters over the next decade or two. Conservation societies and state game agencies are scrambling to find ways to recruit and retain hunters. I propose that one way that states could encourage new hunters is to make the licensing process less cumbersome. Some of these state systems are absolutely Byzantine.
Take for instance the state of Pennsylvania. I have lived elsewhere for over 25 years, but I was born in PA and we have family property there. Because of these roots, I have bought an out-of-state hunting license for PA for the past several years.
It is possible to at least apply and pay online, but they snail-mail the yellow license to you in a big envelope, rather than allowing you to simply print it out from your home computer. That seems like a huge waste of money and resources to me, but I have accepted it nonetheless.
This year I decided that I wanted a tag for antlerless deer. In my current home state, you can take an antlerless deer during archery season with no special provision other than the standard license and for rifle season the antlerless license is an extra ten dollars added to your online cart with everything else. But not in Pennsylvania – Big Nope.
In PA, you have to wait to receive your out-of state license package by snail mail, and then apply for an antlerless permit directly to the county treasurer of the county you want, specifying which Wildlife Management Area, using paper applications sent to you by snail mail in your license package.
Now, bear in mind that WMA’s don’t go by county. There seems to be no geographical rhyme or reason for the boundaries on WMAs. The one I wanted contains pieces of four different counties. I had to page through the guide several times to figure out which WMA the property was in. I also found out as I was reading the fine print that there is a separate pathway to an antlerless permit for property owners, but that has to happen BEFORE the time period opens for the regular application process, so I was out of luck there. And since the property isn’t in my personal name, I might still have been out of luck.
Once you figure out your WMA then you then have to fill out the application “properly” including a second stamp for the tear-off return part in which the treasurer is supposed to send your license. That is, if the license number allotted for the WMA hasn’t already been reached and you have to specify a second or third choice. To make it even more confusing, you “can” send up to three applications in the same envelope, but there is no guarantee that everyone in your party will all actually GET a license. To top it off, when you make out the check to send along, you are supposed to make it out to “County Treasurer”. NOT “Union County Treasurer, NOT “Fayette County Treasurer” – just “County Treasurer”. I had to void a check before I figured that one out.
Are you confused yet? I sure was. How many advanced degrees does it take to figure out the application process for one antlerless deer license? There should be a less cumbersome way to deal with this. We do live in the computer age after all.
I also have hunting licenses for West Virginia and Maryland, due to wanting to hunt with friends on their property. I count the cost as “entertainment money” rather than “meat/grocery money”, and can justify the expense that way. I thus have first-hand experience with the licensing processes of three different states and can safely say that PA is the absolute worst of the three.
It seems to me that if they are truly interested in increasing the number of hunters one of the first things they should do is make the hunting license process less cumbersome. I do understand that conservation and management of the species comes “first”, but c’mon. I don’t mind the money so much as I know it goes toward conservation, but I spent $166 including postage for a non-resident Adult Hunting Permit, a non-resident Archery Permit, and (hopefully) an Antlerless Deer Permit, all for the privilege of hunting on my own family property. You’d think for that amount of cash every year they would be working harder to make it “easy” for me to give them my money. It certainly doesn’t sound like a way to encourage more new hunters.
What is the licensing process like in YOUR state?
Review: Shepherd Scopes Rugged 1-8x R-Mil
Low-Powered Variable Optics (LPVOs) are exploding in popularity. They provide serious advantages when speed up close and precision at distance are equally important. When these advantages mean the difference between winning and losing a match–or between life and death–every little bit helps.
I’ve used a handful of LPVOs over the years. I find them the most inclusive option for general use carbines and competition rifles. At distance they give all of the advantages of a traditional higher-powered scope and at close range they’re red dot agile. The only real limitation is the eye box, it is dependant on head positioning. In real world use the advantages easily outweigh that limitation in my observation.
1-6x LPVOs have become all but ubiquitous at 3-gun matches and have seen military use abroad. Today, 1-8x scopes are taking over… and they’re becoming more affordable.
Enter the Shepherd Scopes Rugged 1-8x R-Mil.
I have been evaluating this entry-level LPVO for several weeks. It’s a second focal plane model available for $550 MSRP at the time of review. The mil-hash reticle and passive ranging can be used with any rifle and ammo.
The locking turrets with adjustable index provide the option for dialing-in range and windage adjustments if you have the time. The clear, unobtrusive milliradian subtensions are easy to use when the day calls for speed at distance. To take advantage of either, the R-Mil also features passive rangefinder that stays out of the way until you need it.
The scope weighs under 19 ounces (without a mount). The included absolute height mount is a nice touch. It attaches easily and securely. My preference is for the much higher 1.93” scope mounts, but it’s a great inclusion. And at this price, it’s easy to justify a change if you want it.
On The Range
My primary test rifle and ammo are capable of sub-MOA performance and the bright clear sight picture at 8x made it almost easy. The initial zeroing day was more of a pleasure than I expected. The range I used had electronic targets with a very detailed display for monitoring hits. By the end of the first magazine, I was shooting 5 round groups at 0.7 MOA at 100 yards. That performance did not change and the zero did not shift in my testing.
The glass itself is remarkably clear for it’s price point. Whether I shot it at 400 yards or 4 yards it showed me what I wanted, gave me the information I needed, and otherwise got out of my way.
There’s not a lot more you can ask of an optic. A longer throw lever would be a nice touch, but there are aftermarket options available.
Shepherd Scopes claims that the Rugged 1-8 R-Mil will handle the recoil of a .50 cal. I didn’t have a chance to test it on one, but it easily handled my abuse.
For what it’s worth, I don’t believe in hard rifle cases except in checked baggage and I don’t baby any of my gear. Over several range trips and competition focused training sessions it held zero and showed no real signs of abuse aside from cosmetic scratches. What I call normal use has destroyed some very nice optics. The Rugged 1-8 R-Mil has performed to the point that I trust it to work when I pick it up.
Illumination
The Shepherd is a second focal plane optic, like all design decisions this implies some trade-offs. What this means is that the reticle subtensions and rangefinding features are only accurate at 8x, every other magnification involves conversion math. I mostly use LPVOs at 1x or their maximum magnification so it wasn’t a problem. Even at only 100 yards, the field of view is plenty at 8x (14.5 feet).
The illumination of a second focal plane reticle is much brighter than first focal plane scopes. In my testing the Rugged 1-8 R-Mil was easily daylight bright in both green and red.
Speaking of the green illumination, the option of changing the color is missing from many scopes, especially on the higher-end. If you have remotely normal color vision your eyes are most sensitive to green, making it easier to distinguish a green reticle from anything downrange.
The 5 brightness levels are well-spaced and work from low light to bright daylight; I never found myself hunting for a setting or wishing I could set it in-between them.
Like all LPVOs, the battery life is nothing to write home about, and leaving the optic on all the time will drain it. Fortunately, the etched reticle is still crisp and usable without the illumination.
The Bottom Line
The Shepherd Rugged 1-8 R-Mil is as fast as any LPVO I’ve come across up close, has a very clear sight picture, and covers the useful effective range as far as my rifles and ammo can perform. Bright both in terms of light transmission and illumination, and a fantastic value at it’s MSRP.
BROADENING THE 2A TENT
By Tiffany Johnson.
I just wanted to thank you all for lending me your ears in the Conference presentation on Broadening the 2A Tent. I was so heartened to hear your great questions and receive your kind support. This is my first time at the AG & AG National Conference, and you’ve all made me feel right at home. I really appreciate it!
As promised, I’m sending out some information from our session. First, here are screenshots of the results of our live polls:
FYI, on that second poll, the “A” responses were 12% and the “B” responses were 3%. We had a total of 69 responses on the polls. (and again, I promise the were anonymous; I’m not collecting phone numbers, LOL).
Gun Control & Racism
Next, for those who were interested in the video I referenced (on the racist history of gun control), it’s from an episode on NRA TV. Here’s a link: 
. It’s about ten minutes long.
Scott v. Sanford
I also referenced the Dred Scott case, one of many precursors that would culminate with the Civil War. See Scott v. Sanford, 60 U.S. 19 (1856). In the historic opinion, Chief Justice Taney ruled that “A free negro of the African race, whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as slaves, is not a ‘citizen’ within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States.” On page 417 of the opinion, Taney argues that surely black people could not be citizens, because if they were citizens, then they would have the right “to keep and carry arms wherever they went,” thereby “endangering the peace and safety of the State.” He concluded that the framers couldn’t possibly have wanted black people to have guns:
It is impossible, it would seem, to believe that the great men of the slaveholding States, who took so large a share in framing the Constitution of the United States and exercised so much influence in procuring its adoption, could have been so forgetful or regardless of their own safety and the safety of those who trusted and confided in them.
You can read the full opinion here: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/60/393/case.html. Scott v. Sanford remained the law of the land until the 13th and 14th Amendments were adopted after the Civil War.
The Hellerstedt Case
The more recent Supreme Court ruling I mentioned was Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, 136 S.Ct. 2292 (2016). That’s an abortion case where the Supreme Court invalidated Texas regulations that were aimed at indirectly shutting down abortion clinics (or so the clinics argued). Arguments in favor of the strict regulations often anecdotally cited one abortion doctor who committed horrible abuses. In rejecting that argument, the Hellerstedt opinion gives us this supremely quotable little gem:
[That one doctor’s] behavior was terribly wrong. But there is no reason to believe that an extra layer of regulation would have affected that behavior. Determined wrongdoers, already ignoring existing statutes and safety measures, are unlikely to be convinced to adopt safe practices by a new overlay of regulations.
This pearl of wisdom was written by Justice Breyer (yes, anti-gun Breyer). I would argue this ruling – and the reasoning behind it – applies to gun regulations just as much as it does to abortion regulation. Regardless of what you think of abortion, the 2A community can use this case to our advantage. You can read that full opinion here: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/579/15-274/.
Pioneers in Second Amendment Advocacy
Two of the people I mentioned were Otis McDonald and Rhonda Ezell. Both are lead plaintiffs in important legal cases that have helped fortify our 2A rights, and both are black. I also mentioned Vera Koo, a champion shooter and author. I only learned about Vera Koo from Annette Evans, another champion shooter, author, and good friend (and mentor) of mine who is also an AG & AG Conference Instructor (just goes to show, having friends of different races and backgrounds exposes you to all kinds of great information you might otherwise miss). If we want to appeal to non-traditional shooters, attract new supporters, dispel myths about gun culture, and diversify the gun community, I argue that we should be plastering these photos all over gun shop walls and blasting their little-known stories from the rooftops rather than letting them remain obscured in the background.
Pictured below:
Otis McDonald (sadly now deceased), plaintiff in McDonald v. Chicago (Supreme Court)
Pictured below:
Rhonda Ezell, plaintiff in Ezell v. Chicago (7th Circuit) and founder of Chicago Guns Matter (and you can “friend” her on Facebook, too!)
Pictured below:
Vera Koo, competitive shooter and author of The Most Unlikely Champion
I would encourage you all to celebrate these folks and even reach out to them and others like them. Mr. McDonald passed away recently, but the others can all be contacted online. If you have a budget for speakers, please consider giving them and folks like them a platform. Reach out and forge partnerships so we can all work together and focus more on commonalities than differences. Other pioneers in the gun community with links to more info):
- Tony Simon of The Second is for Everyone (2A4E)
- Kenn Blanchard of Black Man with a Gun
- Pink Pistols
- Operation Blazing Sword
- National African American Gun Association
- Marchelle “Tig” Washington, Trigger Happy Firearm Instruction (and check out this very favorable piece by the Huffington Post)
- Maj Touré with Black Guns Matter (fair warning, Maj does not mince words and, well, let’s just say he is not everyone’s cup of tea)
- And a shameless plug (sorry): At the risk of annoying some, I’ll add my good buddy and training partner to this list: Aqil Qadir of Citizens Safety Academy
And the list goes on – there are several; I’m sure I’m probably forgetting a few biggies. Bottom line, all it takes is a few minutes on Google (or even Facebook) to open the floodgates. It all starts with an email or instant message. Please reach out and connect!
Damn.
Oh, and yes, rapper Kendrick Lamar really did win the Pulitzer for his album, Damn.. 
I welcome any feedback you all have for me and for this mission of breathing new life and new perspectives into the 2A community. Please feel free to reach out any time. I look forward to training with you all soon.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/broadening-the-2a-tent/
We Like Shooting 246 – Virtue Savaging
Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 246 – tonight we’ll talk about Bronc Box, DS Arms, Polymer80, NRA Annual Meetings 2018 and more and more!
XS F8 Night Sights
I admit that I am a “basic” kind of gal. I tend to get along fine with stock gear unless I have a good reason to change. I am also a “Glock Girl”, and my carry gun is a Glock 43.
I’m used to my stock Glock sights and did fine with them in a class from the Cornered Cat the other year. With that said, when I was given the opportunity to try XS Sight Systems F8 – with the big orange and tritium front sight – I decided to give it a whirl.
I’m getting older and don’t see as well in low light as I used to so I thought it would be wise to investigate sights which might increase my ability to acquire them quickly in less than ideal lighting conditions.
I had not ever installed sights by the “file to fit” method before. So I knew from the get-go that it would be a new challenge. But I also had too much “I am woman, hear me roar” pride to just hand it off to guy friends without even trying. So off to “YouTube University” I went in search of tutorials. XS does have videos and the sights do come packaged with thread locker and a front sight wrench, by the way.
To say that the installation experience was “challenging” would not do justice to the amount of swearing and blaspheming that took place at my kitchen table that evening. There is probably still a cloud of blue invective hanging over my neighborhood that you can track on your weather app. Admittedly, though I do own a good set of brass punches, I do not own a metal file. I was using an emery board because it’s what I had. It did work, but it took much longer than it would have had I just broken down and gone to Lowe’s for the proper tool.
The process – especially with the rear sight- was certainly not the “delicate” work that I thought it would be. It was more like file scraping, followed by pounding with hammer and punch such that I was sure I would break the tritium tube. After over an hour of scraping and pounding, followed by more scraping and pounding, I was finally able to force it to yield to my will. And the tube was still glowing when I was done! Yay!
I think I’ll invest in a sight-pusher next time. Or at least a proper metal file. It might keep me from having to do my Yosemite Sam impression for the whole neighborhood!
The first test of my new handiwork took place in the basement with a laser set-up. I was impatient to see if I had everything centered properly. I also didn’t want to leave the house because I had a loaf of bread in the oven (multi-tasking for the win!) It was a Sunday night and I was scheduled for hand surgery in three days, so I knew I wouldn’t get out to the gun club range before that happened. Thus the basement was what I settled for.
I was actually quite happy with the Laserlyte test. For reference, the circle is 5 inches in diameter (the IDPA -0 zone is 8 inches in diameter). I shot from 7 yards – roughly defensive distance. The grouping would have been better, but I had to remove the magazine and rack the slide after every shot, meaning that each shot represented a new grip, stance and sight picture. Even so, things were pretty consistent shot-to-shot. I was pleased. And there’s where I had to leave it until after my surgery.
After a post-op hiatus of about 3 months, during which I regained my grip strength and ability to rack a slide properly, I took my new sights out for an actual shooting test at my local IDPA match. I shot BUG (Back Up Gun) classification due to the size and magazine capacity of the Glock 43.
I was exceedingly happy with the results. I am never a “fast” shooter, and my time scores suffer for that reason, but my accuracy with the new sights was great! All of the steel poppers fell on the first shot, and all the targets that were stationary at close range or middle distance I scored down 0 or -1. The only targets on which I had worse accuracy scores than that were on the moving targets and the ones out to 15 or 20 yards. The Glock 43 is not a “distance” gun, so that was no reflection on the F8 sights or on my ability to install them properly. I was VERY pleased. The guys on my squad were also impressed and kept remarking upon how well I was shooting with just that little gun.
I can only think of a couple of drawbacks to this F8 sight. The first obviously would be the “ease” of installation, but I already mentioned my lack of strictly proper tools. I still get personal pride points for doing it all myself though. The only other drawback I can think of is that there may be some who simply do not appreciate a large dot front sight. I however, LOVE it.
One of the features that I really like about this sight system is that in addition to the luminescence of the tritium in both front and rear sights (providing “Figure 8” alignment), the front sight is surrounded by a large ring of orange which not only catches the eye in daylight, it also absorbs ambient light and then glows in low light as well. For an – ahem- “mature” person with aging vision like myself, that is a huge plus. The rear sight has a wide notch, increasing the amount of light around the front sight, and it also has a ledge which helps with one-handed manipulation of the slide. In addition to all of the above goodness, the XS F8 night sight carries a ten year warranty.
If you are looking for nights sights with an easy-to-find front sight for the daytime, the XS F8 may be the answer that you seek. I can heartily recommend it. (I also recommend you NOT be like me and invest in a sight pusher for installation. Sometimes being stubbornly independent has its drawbacks!)
LETHAL FORCE IS NO LAUGHING MATTER
When I teach the Texas License to Carry Course, there is a segment that addresses the state Penal Codes on Use of Force in defense of person and property. After I have spent some time reading the codes word-for-word, which generally states that a person can use lethal force if she believes herself to be in imminent danger. Then I show a slide with the images below and ask my students, “What do you think of this?”
There is always a giggle from someone, often there are mumbles of agreement. Usually there are a few confused faces trying to make sense of what we just covered and the images before them.
This is when my “mom voice” delivers the smack-down of reality:
If you have a bumper sticker that says “Keep honking I’m reloading,” have a sign on your house that says you shoot to kill or “we don’t call 911,” or you wear a shirt that says “The first rule of Gun Safety is don’t p!ss me off,” look at how you are presenting your character. Is this who you are as an American gun owner?
Could a reasonable person believe that you can’t be trusted because you might start shooting people just because you feel angry or annoyed?
If you are ever in a life-threatening situation and you have to use your firearm, every social media post, every inappropriate meme you have shared or liked, every bumper sticker, every selfie of you wearing the “Heavily Armed Easily P!ssed” or “I Have a Beautiful Daughter and an Alibi” shirt will become who you are to the media, the public, and worse, the Judge and jury of your peers. You could be depicted as an irrational person who is waiting and eager to shoot someone. All of your good, hard work of training, knowledge of the law, safe handling, storage practices, and 2A rights activism will be gone out the window.
Your entire character is on the line, and believe me when I say that your defense attorney won’t be happy to have to fight against this negative public image, especially if your actions were reasonable and justified, and otherwise a slam-dunk case in your favor as to why you had to act in defense of person or property. You have not only damaged your reputation, but your future and your freedom.
Part of being a responsible and safe gun owner is understanding that you can hurt your defense by something you might be doing unknowingly and unintentionally. If you ever have to use lethal force to save your life or protect a life of another, your character will be called into question. Your persona on social media will paint a portrait of your character. Avoid memes that are somewhat inappropriate or controversial because they may be used to describe your mindset. Inappropriate signs in your home or bumper stickers on your car will sabotage your defense as you are trying to prove your analytical mindset and your understanding of the law and Use of Force.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/lethal-force-no-laughing-matter/